This class was not Hesper's favorite. It was technically easy for her, yes, but she was either incredibly bored or decidedly uncomfortable. Today was the latter. Great Aunt Jessamine had seen to it that she'd been instilled with flawless etiquette from the day she'd arrived on her doorstep. She'd picked her apart on her posture, her table manners, her tidiness of dress, her tone of voice, her gait... She'd believed Hesper's formative years in the household of her decidedly middle class nephew had been so damaging that she had to overcompensate at every possible opportunity. Consequently she held more tension in her shoulders than a marble statue.
Being surrounded by so many ill-mannered children was distressing, she couldn't stop herself from mentally picking up on every infraction and thinking of how horrified her great aunt would be. Worse still, how was she supposed to continue associating with them when she'd be replaying their embarrassing faux-pas in her head next time she spoke to them? Not that was judging them exactly, rather she had Great Aunt Jessamine's judgmental voice in her head and it wouldn't shut up. She'd much rather have been spared seeing her less refined cohorts in this way.
Hesper held her knife and fork as daintily as she could and felt heat rise to her cheeks as she cut a bite-sized piece of meat. "Have you tried the vegetables yet?" she asked her neighbor. She was trying desperately to ignore the food falling out of a nearby student's mouth.
Being surrounded by so many ill-mannered children was distressing, she couldn't stop herself from mentally picking up on every infraction and thinking of how horrified her great aunt would be. Worse still, how was she supposed to continue associating with them when she'd be replaying their embarrassing faux-pas in her head next time she spoke to them? Not that was judging them exactly, rather she had Great Aunt Jessamine's judgmental voice in her head and it wouldn't shut up. She'd much rather have been spared seeing her less refined cohorts in this way.
Hesper held her knife and fork as daintily as she could and felt heat rise to her cheeks as she cut a bite-sized piece of meat. "Have you tried the vegetables yet?" she asked her neighbor. She was trying desperately to ignore the food falling out of a nearby student's mouth.
Social Class: Upper
General Grasp of Etiquette: Great Aunt Mildred Would Be Proud
Confidence in Social Situations: "I am a rolemodel"
